Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over sixty thousand crore rupees from Jharsuguda. The projects span various sectors, including telecommunications, railways, higher education, healthcare, skill development, and rural housing sectors, among others. Prime Minister Modi also flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express between Odisha’s Berhampur and Udhna at Surat in Gujarat.
Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil were present at the Udhna railway station on the occasion. The train will connect Odisha to Gujarat in addition to linking several states, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said, Odisha is moving speedily ahead through a double-engine government.
The Prime Minister stated that Odisha’s natural blessings, combined with decades of hardship, have fueled optimism that the current decade will bring prosperity to the state. He said the central government has recently approved two semiconductor units in Odisha and plans to develop a semiconductor park, representing a significant step in advancing Odisha’s industrial and technological growth. He said Odisha is progressing rapidly with the efforts of the double-engine government.
Mr Modi stated that following the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, the tax burden has been significantly reduced, easing the financial pressure on citizens. The Prime Minister also launched over 97,500 new 4G mobile towers established by BSNL, including 92,600 with the latest 4G technology. These towers, built at a cost of approximately 37,000 crore rupees, utilise fully indigenous technology. Mr Modi remarked that India had lagged in the development of 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies and relied on foreign technology in this domain. This achievement positions India among the few nations capable of building and supporting their own telecom networks.
The PM said India will become the global hub of telecom technology in the future. He said, It is a matter of pride that BSNL has developed fully indigenous 4G technology in our own country. With its hard work and expertise, BSNL has created a new chapter in history. He added that 30,000 villages will soon gain access to high-speed internet connectivity, fostering digital inclusion across the country.
The Prime Minister also announced plans to upgrade MKCG Medical College in Berhampur and VIMSAR in Burla-Sambalpur into world-class super-speciality hospitals. These upgrades will include additional hospital beds, trauma care units, dental colleges, improved maternal and child care, and enhanced educational facilities. Such developments will help deliver better healthcare services to the people of Odisha. On behalf of the 4.5 crore people of Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, Prime Minister Modi is the world’s most popular leader and a source of inspiration.
